Method for operating a driver assist system of an automobile providing a recommendation relating to a passing maneuver, and an automobile

Abstract

Method for operating a driver assist system of an automobile providing information regarding a passing maneuver, in particular a recommendation discouraging a passing maneuver, with a camera arranged on or in at least one outside mirror and oriented in the driving direction of the automobile, wherein the camera data are evaluated by the driver assist system and a length of an automobile in front and/or of an automobile convoy in front is determined in particular from the camera data and taken into consideration when determining the recommendation.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A method for operating a driver assist system of an automobile driving in a lane, comprising the steps of:
 evaluating with the driver assist system of the automobile data from a camera arranged on or in at least one outside mirror and oriented in the driving direction of the automobile, 
 determining from the camera data a length of another automobile in front of the automobile or a length of an automobile convoy in front of the automobile, said other automobile or automobile convoy driving in the same lane as the automobile, based on known design parameters of the camera and based on edge points of a front end and a rear end of the other automobile or automobile convoy in front, and 
 providing a recommendation relating to a passing maneuver by taking into consideration the determined length before initiating the passing maneuver. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the recommendation is a recommendation discouraging the passing maneuver. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising
 determining at least one gap in the convoy in front which is to be passed, and 
 when the at least one gap is sufficient for merging, taking into consideration for determining the recommendation only the automobiles to be passed up to the gap. 
 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein information relevant for the passing maneuver and relating to an oncoming road user and/or at least one road user in front of the automobile is determined exclusively from the camera data and the so determined information is taken into consideration when determining the recommendation to be provided to a driver of the automobile. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 4 , wherein the relevant information relates to a distance to the oncoming road user and/or the at least one road user in front and/or to a speed of the oncoming road user and/or the at least one road user in front and/or to a time gap to the oncoming road user and/or the at least one road user in front. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the camera comprises a telephoto lens. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising taking into consideration predictive road data from a navigation system describing a future course of the road when determining the recommendation. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 7 , further comprising outputting a warning to a driver of the automobile as the recommendation when the camera is unable to detect oncoming road users due to a windy course of the road. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 7 , further comprising outputting a warning to a driver of the automobile as the recommendation when an intersection is located in a predetermined distance range. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 9 , wherein the warning is outputted depending on an actual speed of the automobile. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 9 , wherein the warning is outputted without evaluating camera data. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 9 , wherein after a warning has been outputted, information is provided to the driver when a future course of the road can be considered to be viable for a passing maneuver. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 1 , wherein information indicating viability of a passing maneuver is determined and outputted as the recommendation. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising
 determining a parameter indicating a potential intent to pass, and 
 provided the recommendation only when the parameter indicates an actual intent to pass. 
 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 14 , further comprising taking into consideration for determining the parameter data from the camera, or data from a transverse guidance driver assist system, or data from a longitudinal guidance driver assist system, or data for operating a direction indicator, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 14 , wherein the parameter is determined based on the automobile rapidly closing in on an automobile in front, or driving at the edge of the road, or operating a direction indicator, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 1 , wherein a warning with a corresponding message is outputted as the recommendation to a driver of the automobile when a no-passing sign is detected from data of the camera or from data of another vehicle system. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 1 , wherein a warning with a corresponding message is outputted as the recommendation to a driver of the automobile when a continuous line to the passing lane is detected from data of the camera or from data of another vehicle system. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 1 , wherein a warning with a corresponding message is outputted as the recommendation to a driver of the automobile when a speed limit is detected from data of the camera or from data of another vehicle system, which speed limit must be exceeded when performing the passing maneuver. 
     
     
       20. An automobile driving in a lane, comprising
 a driver assist system, 
 a camera associated with the driver assist system and arranged on or in at least one outside mirror and oriented in the driving direction of the automobile, 
 wherein the driver assist system is configured to 
 evaluate data from the camera, 
 determine from the camera data a length of another automobile in front of the automobile or a length of an automobile convoy in front of the automobile, said other automobile or automobile convoy driving in the same lane as the automobile, based on known design parameters of the camera and based on edge points of a front end and a rear end of the other automobile or automobile convoy in front, and 
 provide a recommendation relating to a passing maneuver by taking into consideration the determined length before initiating the passing maneuver.